Alight Gainesville features a gate on their parking garage and controlled access for every building.
Yes, Gainesville apartments are safe. Many of them are located right around the University of Florida, which is well-patrolled even in the wee hours of the morning. Even Gainesville apartments further away take security measures, from gates and controlled access to security cameras and patrols at night. Some Gainesville apartments have gates manned by security guards. Others have key codes or swipe-keys to open the gate. At some places these gates might be closed only during nighttime hours. At other places, these gates might be closed even during the daytime, and require opening each time. A lot of Gainesville apartments, especially those with internal hallways between units, have locked doors that might require special access, either by key, code, or card. Many Gainesville apartments have nighttime security patrol routines, and record their premises on closed circuit televisions. Many also feature apartment alarm systems, to enhance residents' feelings of safety and security.
The best evidence to determine how safe a community is would be to consult the local police. They will have records of any criminal activities and calls made out to that location. By looking through this information there's bound to be a few incidents that may be uneasy. If you notice a trend of criminal activity you may want to consider other options. If you are a parent trying to decide where your child should move, always try to drive around the community and the surrounding areas. You can learn so much about the demographic of people living in the area and be sure to drive around at night as well.